Authorities urging caution around new four-way stop

Published 5:00 am Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Lincoln County officials are urging residents of the Heuck’sRetreat community to be aware of a new four-way stop intersectionin their area.

Dungan Engineering, P.A. Principal Jeff Dungan said a recentproject near the Heuck’s Retreat Baptist Church – which saw Heuck’sRetreat Road relocated about 150 feet south – has created afour-way intersection with Callender Road. Now, all four lanes oftraffic will be required to stop.

“In traffic situations where the volume of traffic is approachingthe same amount in all directions, the safest remedy is a four-waystop,” he said.

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The relocation of the road, which was a project of District TwoSupervisor Bobby J. Watts, has resulted in Heuck’s Retreat Road,Callender Road and the entrance to the church all meeting at theintersection.

Watts said the project was undertaken to ensure the safety ofmotorists traveling through the area during church hours.

“With a four-way stop, we’ve done all we can do to prevent anaccident,” he said. “We were going to put in a three-way stop andhave a lane always open, but we were scared about the young people- you have all walks of life in church. Now, the elderly will stop,the young will stop and traveling general public will stop.”

Officials said the road and intersection were open and functioning,with stop signs and warning signs to be posted sometimeTuesday.

Lincoln County Sheriff Steve Rushing said he would likely dispatcha unit to monitor the intersection “off and on” – especially duringchurch hours – until motorists can adjust to the change.

“There may be a risk of accidents, but if people are payingattention to their surroundings and the traffic, they’ll see it,”he said. “Just getting people informed about it is the mainthing.”